Don't count on it. This state is full of ignorant voters, on both the right and the left. We already know what idiotic choices the left makes in NJ, but you may not be aware of the idiotic choices the right has made in NJ. In fact, some of our very own FReepers helped put an incompetent candidate up against Corzine last year (Forrester) by voting for the most far-right candidate in the NJ GOP primary (Lonegan)- a guy who had no chance at winning- essentially taking votes away from a moderate-conservative that could have at least had SOME differences from Corzine (Schundler). As a result, Corzine had no problems winning- Forrester was a Corzine clone, only he ran GOP. I'm pretty sure a sizable part of the right in NJ refused to vote for Forrester in November, helping Corzine out even more.
Now, these same FReepers are running around calling Tom Kean a "RINO" and saying they'll refuse to vote for him. Gee, that sounds like a real good way of bringing NJ back to the GOP. Sometimes, the "send a message by boycotting or voting for the most far right candidate" just becomes stupid. Kind of like New Jersey itself: stuck on stupid.
I'm sure I'll get flamed for posting this, but the truth is the truth. NJ Republicans have to wake up, especially the FReepers who essentially helped put Corzine into office last year.
I understand your viewpoint, but I think you're being overly cynical. In a few months, a lot of people who reluctantly voted for Corzine will regret their choice and take it out on Menendez.
Besides, there is more at stake for conservatives in a Federal race than a state race. The Governor's race had little effect outside of New Jersey, itself. But in the U.S. Senate, there are judicial confirmations, national security issues, government entitlements, and other things which effect the nation as a whole. A lot of conservatives who dislike Kean will reluctantly but surely support his candidacy for those reasons.
You said it right. The NJ GOP isn't going to be able to elect a Ronald Reagan. If it is lucky enough to be able to even prevail in NJ, the candidate will have to be a moderate on some issues. So NJ conservatives have a choice, you can either vote for someone fiscally conservative, a hawk on foreign policy, or you can be stuck with a tax and spend lying liberal.
I will be boting for the first time this November and although I consider myself a Reaganite, I will be pulling the lever for Tom Kean.
Kean Jr. is a shlub. An Average Joe. He is neither a Democrat Republican Conservative or Liberal in ideology. His ideology is whatever happens to "sound good" at the moment it's explained to him, and anything his father's friends tell him will help get him elected.
He is not even a RINO, he is simply a politician, with no allegiances to any ideology except to self promotion.
He's now had at least 3 private fundraisers where the guests(who donated him good money none the less) were laughing at his preposterous inability to articulate any thoughts about almost every topic.
His nickname in North Jersey is now "the kid". As in, "he's a nice kid, maybe someday he'll make something of himself."
He has no policy positions, no positions, no ideas, nothing. He is truly an empty suit.
(Did I hear a niner in there?)
He has time to be coached, but he will not be able to seriously challenge Menendez in a debate, everyone around hm knows it.